Milan’s 2-0 evening in Udine was more than a useful result and a lift in the table. It offered a glimpse of a side finding its balance: Luka Modric supplied clarity in possession, Christian Pulisic provided the decisive edge near goal, and the team refused to retreat once it had established control.
The coach and the club
There was a familiar quality to Milan’s response in Friuli. In earlier seasons under Stefano Pioli, the club often found a way back from difficult moments through character as much as individual talent. This time, the performance suggested that collective conviction is beginning to return within a group reshaped by several transfer windows and many foreign arrivals.
That feeling was also reflected in the involvement of academy players. Davide Bartesaghi, who has often been overlooked in favour of Pervis Estupiñán, made his contribution count, while the near-debutant Diawara also emerged from the youth system. Their presence mattered beyond the immediate match: club identity can only become a strength when it is passed on within the squad.
Milan had important absences, with Adrien Rabiot the most notable, yet did not allow the situation to turn the match into a defensive exercise. After taking the lead, and again after moving 2-0 ahead, they continued to attack rather than simply protecting what they had gained.
Control in Friuli
Modric led the rhythm of the performance, while Pulisic’s sharpness in the penalty area helped put the away side on the right course early. Milan then maintained control of the ball and created a substantial number of opportunities.
The team used a 4-4-2 described as being in the Ancelotti tradition, moving the ball with greater calm than in the opening weeks of the season. The defensive structure also looked improved, with the risks faced reduced by around half compared with the earlier matches in which a back three had appeared likely to bring further uncertainty.
Udinese’s attacking limitations should be acknowledged, but Milan’s approach still carried significance. Rather than allowing the game to drift towards their own area, they kept playing forward and showed a mentality that cannot be explained solely by the opposition’s shortcomings.
A test beyond the league
The Udine result does not yet place Milan among the very leading sides in Serie A, and it is too soon to define the limits of their season. But it has added value because it came with signs of organisation, energy and a renewed sense of belonging.
The next challenge is to reproduce that level in the Europa League, particularly in midweek contests against English opposition, where Milan have not always coped with the pace of the occasion. They must also avoid the costly lapses that have involved captain Mike Maignan.
Saturday 31 October’s derby should provide a clearer measure of where this Milan stands. For now, the journey has moved forward with more authority than many expected in Friuli.
